Steve Helmick · Jun 26, 2003 03:41 PM
#0 sourceCD'd this event last Saturday at Arlington, Washington. Bad weather reports kept some away, but except for an hour of torrential downpour, it really wasn't bad at all. This contest was sponsored by Cascade Aviation, AKA Paul Vallins, who put up a $1,000 purse! It was truly a great time, with Paul Vallins buying pizza and pop for lunch during the downpour, so we nibbled pizza and waited for combat sorties to resume. Entry fee was $20, which paid for expenses like sanction, site insurance, streamers and air horn cartridges. The remaining $40 went into a pot that was drawn for by the contestants and event staff. Chris Gomez (pull test officer and NW Skyraider's President) won it.
The combat was excellent, with some truly great matches. For those who don't know how this works, the objective is to take small cuts on your opponant's streamer, until it is all gone, or the 5 minutes is up, or the airplanes won't fly anymore, whichever comes first. One match had about 8 collisions, without doing enough damage to crash them...like "rubbin' fenders" in a NASCAR race. The airplanes fly slow enough that spectators can really follow what is going on, they are tough enough to crash at their 64 mph speed limit to survive most any crash, and the engines restart without more fuel or battery, no glowplug issues, etc. On several occasions, opponants pit crews restart the other guy's engine and fling it back into action, just because it crashed closer to them...yeah, even with the $$$ involved.
Winners: Everybody, all 11 entrants. But Bob Smith won $400, Sponsor Paul Vallins won $300 (and said he was sending it to Children's Orthopedic Hospital in Seattle), John Thompson won 3rd for $200, and young Cayce Rule (about 11 y.o.) won $100. Paul Dranfield won merchandise for 5th place finish. "Bad Luck" trophy went to Jeff Riechel, and Mike Rule got the "Worst Wreck" trophy. His hot pink Warlord looked like it had gone through a blender. Dave Pellerin (Rudderpost 99) had some diesel issues, but showed good combat skills, as did 16 Y.O. Milissa Huber. She did a fine "rework" on Paul Dranfield's PAW 2.5cc engine (see picture). 
Steve
Photos: #1 Paul Vallins getting ready to fly, Paul Dranfield assisting. Pellerin photo.
#2 Paul Dranfield's newly reworked PAW 2.5cc (.15) (single ball race). Pellerin photo
#3 Mel Lyne present 1st Place Trophy (and $400 cash) to Robert Smith. Larry Bell photo.
#4 The Gang. Combateers might recognize the legendary Norm McFadden in the big black hat. Bell photo.